The absorbent articles of today exhibit a variety of different solutions for handling large amounts of liquid which can be excreted by the user. Superabsorbents are just one example of such a solution. Security against leakage has also been developed through the years to improve user comfort. A great problem within the field of absorbent articles, which has still not been solved in a commercially viable or comfortable manner, is the handling of faeces. Of the absorbent articles which are found on the market today, precious few present solutions for handling of faeces. This is for the simple reason that those solutions which are most often presented are as expensive as they are difficult to produce in a process. A usual speed for e.g., diaper production is from several hundred up to a thousand units per minute. Understandably, this places a heavy burden on the nature of the technical solution, which should be equally simple as cheap.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,346,097, Blaney, a faeces container system is described. The system has a box-like form of expanded material which expands upon contact with water. The system is a separate system from the absorbent core, and therefore requires special modification of the process. Furthermore, the box-like structure expands upon secretion of urine, even though faeces are not excreted by the user. This probably means that when faeces are excreted, the box-like structure may already have expanded, and been positioned incorrectly due to the user's movements, slid out of position or quite simply collapsed under the weight of the user. A solution which is not affected by liquid but rather is only designed for faeces is therefore desirable.
Another solution for the problem of handling of faeces is described in WO97/17920, Eiterjord. Elastic threads run round an opening in the topsheet of the absorbent article, so that a cup-like shape is formed. However, the article is only designed to receive faeces. An example of this is the higher density in the central region of the article, which is obtained through, e.g., compression. This makes the article's urine-absorbing properties significantly worse in that area where they should be best. A solution which does not compromise on liquid uptake or liquid distribution properties is therefore desirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,110, Dudek, describes how a V-shaped recess, or so-called “hack”, has been made in the absorbent core. The recess is intended to obtain a better fit of the diaper, in that the diaper's waist elastic gathers the whole recess together so that the absorbent core acquires a homogeneous, good-looking and accurate fit. The design requires that the absorbent core is pressed against the user. However, the document leaves the question of handling of faeces unanswered. The solution described in the document is directly unsuitable for handling of faeces as it is intended to press the absorbent core against the body of the user.
Prior to the present invention, there existed a need, therefore, for an absorbent article which provides cost-effective, practical handling of faeces, which also solves or minimizes the above problems with the previously-known solutions.